20+ facts about Diego Maradona: His friendship with Fidel Castro, the truth behind the ‘Hand of God’

We should always love Maradona for what he did on the pitch, for as soon as the referee blew the final whistle, the Argentine legend’s life often descended into a relentless cycle of scandals that should never serve as a model for the younger generation.

 When the ball was at his feet, the "Golden Boy" played every match as if it were his last, embracing the philosophy of "living for the first time" with every touch. Nevertheless, it was this same lack of discipline and self-control that frequently turned the headlines into a showcase of ugly vices that deserved condemnation. 

To truly understand the man beyond the goals and trophies, Livescorecz invites you to discover the most incredible facts about Diego Maradona.

20+ essential facts about Diego Maradona

1. A record-breaking debut: Diego Armando Maradona made his professional debut for Argentinos Juniors on October 20, 1976, just 10 days before his 16th birthday. He remains one of the youngest players to ever grace the professional stage in Argentina.

2. The world record transfer holder: He is the only player in football history to have broken the world record transfer fee twice. First, he moved from Boca Juniors to Barcelona for £5 million, and later from Barcelona to Napoli for a then-staggering £6.9 million.

3. The architect of 1986: During the 1986 World Cup, Maradona was involved in 10 of Argentina’s 14 goals. His performance earned him the Golden Ball, and he and Lionel Messi remain the only players to win the Golden Ball at both the U-20 and senior World Cup levels.

4. The most fouled player: Opponents found it impossible to stop him legally. Maradona holds the record for suffering the most fouls in a single World Cup (53 in 1986) and the most fouls in a single game (23 against Italy in 1982).

5. The "goal of the century": Just 4 minutes after the infamous "Hand of God," Diego dribbled past 5 English defenders to score a goal that FIFA officially named the "Goal of the Century" in 2002.

6. The captaincy record: He holds the record for the most appearances as a captain in World Cup history, leading Argentina onto the pitch as skipper 16 times across his 21 tournament appearances.

7. Success at Napoli: Before his arrival, Napoli was a struggling club. Maradona led them to 2 Serie A titles (1987 and 1990) and the UEFA Cup in 1989. His impact was so profound that Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini later described him as the toughest player they ever faced.

8. International goal scoring: With 34 goals in 91 appearances, he is currently the sixth-highest goalscorer for Argentina, sitting behind modern legends like Messi, Batistuta, and Aguero.

9. Respect from the enemy: He is one of the very few players to be applauded by Real Madrid fans at the Santiago Bernabéu after scoring a brilliant solo goal for Barcelona.

10. "Maradona and 10 others": His importance to the national team was so absolute that in 1990, manager Carlos Bilardo famously stated his starting lineup consisted of "Maradona and 10 others."

11. The hand of God explanation: Following the controversial goal against England, Maradona famously remarked: "The goal was scored a little bit by the hand of God, a little by the head of Maradona."

12. Political tattoos: Beyond football, he was a staunch political figure. He had a tattoo of Che Guevara on his arm and a portrait of Fidel Castro on his left leg.

13. A "flawed genius": Former teammate Jorge Valdano once noted the complexity of his life, stating: "Maradona has no peers inside the pitch, but he has turned his life into a show, and is now living a personal ordeal that should not be imitated."

14. The church of Maradona: In 1998, fans in Buenos Aires established the "Church of Maradona." They even have their own calendar, marking the year 2020 as "60 D.D." (After Diego).

15. Drug addiction struggles: In 1996, Diego candidly admitted his struggles with substance abuse, saying: "I was, I am and I always will be a drug addict. A person who gets involved in drugs has to fight it every day."

16. The 1994 doping scandal: His World Cup career ended in disgrace in the USA when he was sent home after only 2 games for failing a drug test, having scored a final stunning goal against Greece.

17. Financial troubles: In 2009, Italian authorities revealed that Maradona owed a staggering €37 million in unpaid taxes from his time playing for Napoli, a debt fueled largely by accrued interest.

18. Managerial outbursts: As Argentina's manager in 2008, after a difficult qualification period, he launched an infamous, vulgar "keep sucking" rant at journalists, which resulted in a 2-month FIFA ban.

19. Friendship with dictators: He was a close friend of Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. Interestingly, Maradona passed away on November 25, 2020, the same date as the anniversary of Castro’s death.

20. The "Hand of reason": His temper was legendary, he once smashed a photographer's car window for being too intrusive, later claiming: "I did it with the hand of reason."

21. A shared century: In 2000, he shared the FIFA Player of the Century award with Pele. Despite their rivalry, Pele was the first guest on Maradona’s TV talk show in 2005.

Regrettably, the cause of Maradona’s early death at the age of 60 was largely a result of a life characterized by excess and a lack of health management, a tragic path that was partially revealed in the list of facts about Diego Maradona compiled by Livescorecz.net. In spite of his personal failings, his cultural impact remains untouchable. As Argentinian author Gustavo Bernstein wrote: "Argentina is Maradona, Maradona is Argentina."

If you wish to follow more detailed statistical articles or similar football topics, Livescorecz is your ideal destination. Beyond historical figures, we provide constant updates on the latest news regarding current players, clubs, and the world's top leagues. Furthermore, our team of objective and highly skilled experts promises to deliver fresh and unique perspectives before and after every major match.